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Live Review: Jorja Smith soars on new single 'Let Me Down' ft Stormzy

15 January 2018 | 9:45 am | Max Lewis

UK R&B/Soul artist Jorja Smith has broken new ground with her triumphantly vulnerable new single 'Let Me Down' ft Stormzy

UK R&B artist JORJA SMITH has hit the ground running in 2018 with 'Let Me Down' ft Stormzy, a single that sees her exploring deeper, more vulnerable territory.

With songs like 'Where Did I Go?' and 'Beautiful Little Fools', Jorja Smith cemented herself as a unique artist, blending pop and modern electronics with the classic R&B/soul sound crafted by her influences like Amy Winehouse. 'Let Me Down' shows a clear evolution of her sound and proves that Jorja Smith is only going up from here.

The track begins with a piano riff both heavy sonically and emotionally, and second only to Jorja's stunning vocals when they enter. The piano sitting comfortable in the lower end and her voice soaring above, the mix is hard-hitting despite only two elements. It's in the chorus, though, that the track truly shines; the vocal hook as she sings "Only you can let me down" is as catchy as it is devastating, and it sounds as though she's barely straining herself as she belts her heart out.

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Stormzy's feature is the perfect counterpart to Jorja Smith's vocals; where she makes the track soar, his verse keeps the track grounded with his booming flow. This is more evident in the second chorus, where layers of strings accompany Jorja on the high end while Stormzy's additions give the track a heavy base as he builds nicely upon the lyrical narrative.

It's been 2018 for just over two weeks and Jorja Smith has dropped what might be one of the hardest hitting tracks of the year. Devastating yet triumphant, it shows off her talents in ways we haven't seen before. If she keeps this train rolling, 2018 is sure to be the year of Jorja Smith.

IMAGE: SUPPLIED

WORDS BY MAX LEWIS

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